Mindful Living in the Workplace

Simply put, WRAP ® is a remarkable, practical self-mastery and wellness program that encourages mindfulness and a deep development of self-awareness.

WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) was born out of the mental health system in the US - created by Mary Ellen Copeland. It has great benefit for people outside the mental health system, including use in businesses and for-profit companies to encourage self-care.

WRAP provides you with the framework you need to create a customized toolkit filled with skills and strategies to improve your well-being and resilience. You will develop clear, personalized wellness action plans for the troubled and challenging times that we all face at one point or another in our lives. It gives us a framework that encourages mindfulness to notice the daily stressors that that build slowly and zap us of our wellness.

When we are deliberate and mindful we can stay well and in control.

With WRAP you are in the driver’s seat!

WRAP is for anyone of any age, who wants to lead a whole and fulfilling life, despite setbacks and challenges that inevitably come. WRAP is a strength-based program with universal application and a strong focus on wellness and prevention.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) ® is a world renowned, leading edge, best practice developed by thought leader Mary Ellen Copeland, and is built on a foundation of five key concepts: Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy and Support.

·Research findings have demonstrated that WRAP can result in:

Increased personal responsibility and empowerment

Higher self-esteem and self-confidence

Productivity that leads to success with life and vocational goals

Increased hopefulness with the belief that positive change can take place

A decrease in distressing symptoms i.e. reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

A reduced need to access health system resources due to the shift in focus i.e. from deficits and illness to strengths, wellness and stability

A decrease in stigma and discrimination with respect to mental health

Building your own WRAP includes:

Creating a list of Wellness Tools that add value to your life. Wellness tools can be anything and everything you do that helps you to maintain balance. Tools can be anything from yoga, or enjoying music to playing games or going to a movie. As we get older, we sometimes forget that having fun is very important! It can seem silly and frivolous; although research says that becoming deliberate about fun has a significant positive effect on our health.

1.A Daily Maintenance Plan with a focus on what you are like when you are well. It also includes creating a non-negotiable list of things you decide that you need to do every day to stay well.

2.Figuring out what your personal Triggers are, and creating an action plan to deal with them. Triggers are everything from small everyday annoyances like driving in traffic, getting an unexpected bill to things like getting difficult news from the doctor, or losing a job.

3.Identifying subtle Early Warning Signs that things are a little off for you. Realizing how stress can affect our bodies and becoming more aware of how that feel, can be a big first step in warding off compounding mental and physical health issues. You will establish an action plan to combat these early warning signs.

4.When Things are Breaking Down is a serious time. It’s not a crisis, but it is a time we need to handle with immediate assertive action. You will establish action plans to help you feel better and keep control of your life.

5.Developing a thorough Crisis Plan to stay in control when you are dealing with any kind of crisis, through some deliberate pre-planning. A crisis can be anything that feels like life is giving us a major kick in the pants. It can be a serious health issue, dealing with a tragedy; even big life changes such as the birth of a new baby can be a crisis of sorts. In WRAP we reframe the idea of crisis—it can be an opportunity for growth. If we have the right mindset, it doesn’t mean the end of the world.

6.Changing our perspective from one of feeling a victim of life, to one of learning and growing from difficulties, can be a powerful way to live. Post Crisis is a time to work on the growth and expansion that comes from a paradigm shift such as this.

Our lives change all of the time, so what worked for us last year may not work with our current circumstances. Your WRAP will be most effective when you review and update it on a regular basis.

WRAP is a living document that changes with us, as our lives change.

Copyright Notice

All written material including blog posts, and photographs are sole property of the owner. Do not copy without written consent from Jenn Cusick.